Due to the Solvay process of manufacturing Soda Ash Limestone Quarries were in demand and in 1891 thirteen quarries within the Buxton Derbyshire area amalgamated in order to benefit from the demand and value. Buxton Lime Firms Co Ltd, as they were called, grew and by 1895 they were mining 360,000 tons of Limestone (calcium carbonate) and producing 280,000 tons of Lime from their 1522 acres of land, 3 Collieries, 89 lime kilns and 21 large stone crushers. They continued to flourish and bought and established nine more quarries in the following 20 years.
By 1918 John Brunner, who along with Ludwig Mond had founded the Solvay Process, was so dependent on the BLF limestone he bought into the company and by 1926 had full ownership. With the merger of all of the businesses I.C.I. was formed.
This quarry must have been one of the smaller ones that was either used just for the stone or closed when the larger quarry at Tunstead increased in size. Exploring the place was interesting, involved a fair bit of climbing and made a great photo opportunity.
The BLF logo proudly displayed on the now stark empty shell
The internals
Further along more buildings emerge from the landscape
This structure is impressive
One of the tunnels leading off from the facade
Inside one of the two tunnels
Further down the track structures with hopper, chutes, pulley wheels and trapdoors
The climb up the landscape to investigate from above
Evidence that a sheep had once lost its footing
After that we climbed further hoping we didnt slip too!
With the climbing completed and the exploration of this echo from the past concluded we dragged our weary bodies back to the car for a well earned rest! Thanks for looking!
For more pics or a larger view of these pics see my flickr page.
By 1918 John Brunner, who along with Ludwig Mond had founded the Solvay Process, was so dependent on the BLF limestone he bought into the company and by 1926 had full ownership. With the merger of all of the businesses I.C.I. was formed.
This quarry must have been one of the smaller ones that was either used just for the stone or closed when the larger quarry at Tunstead increased in size. Exploring the place was interesting, involved a fair bit of climbing and made a great photo opportunity.
The BLF logo proudly displayed on the now stark empty shell
The internals
Further along more buildings emerge from the landscape
This structure is impressive
One of the tunnels leading off from the facade
Inside one of the two tunnels
Further down the track structures with hopper, chutes, pulley wheels and trapdoors
The climb up the landscape to investigate from above
Evidence that a sheep had once lost its footing
After that we climbed further hoping we didnt slip too!
With the climbing completed and the exploration of this echo from the past concluded we dragged our weary bodies back to the car for a well earned rest! Thanks for looking!
For more pics or a larger view of these pics see my flickr page.